Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Spending 1.50 euro and having a perfect time!

Last Saturday I went here:
afgelopen zaterdag was ik hier: klik op de foto!


That enormous 18th century house along the canal once belonged to banker Simon van Gijn (1836-1922), who was a collector all of his life and decided that all his collections should stay together here in his house after his death. It now is 'Museum aan huis', that means something like museum in ones' house, like shopkeepers used to have shops in their houses.

This museum has bought the house next to it too. Here is the entrance and also a tearoom and a museumshop. So the house is kept like it was. When I was touring Dordrecht to see the behangsels, we went here too and I happened to see this showcase in the entrance:



To announce this exhibition:
Om deze tentoonstelling te zien:


Vergeet me niet = Forget me not= Don't forget me
an exhibition about mourning and remembrance.
So last weekend was the last chance to visit this exhibition. I went there, this happened to be museum weekend when you don't have to pay to get in. :-)
I love these kind of surprises.

The rooms in the house are still decorated the same way as Simon van Gijn has decorated them, but now there were additional items. A lot of rooms were filled with all kind of objects that were related to death, to mourning and to remembrance. Like mourning costumes, mourning letters and so on.
Of course it was not allowed to take photos in the museum.

But your reporter is a clever girl (a little more modesty would suit me fine...):
I cut out some images of the brochure and of the poster, kindly given to me by two doorkeepers and they gave me permission to take a photo of the showcase as well, as it's not in the museum but in the entrance, so in the house next door!

Ik mocht natuurlijk geen foto's maken, maar dat heeft uw reporter als volgt opgelost: ik heb wat uit de folder en de poster geknipt en dat opgeplakt:
rouwtrouwjurk of trouwrouwjurk:


photo courtesy Simon van Gijn museum aan huis

There were mourning costumes on dress forms as well as photos of mourning costumes.
Like this bride and groom in mourning, second half 19th century.


Collection Jans Brands rouwservies

There were special mourning tea sets and coffee sets. All black of course, I didn't know that something like these existed. This particular tea set was not in the museum, I found this on the internet in the collection of Jans Brands.


photo courtesy Simon van Gijn museum aan huis rouwbroche

There was a lot of jewelry, like this brooch, with the typical symbolism of death; the grave, a willow, the skull. Too bad I couldn't take a photo of the lead collar. People in mourning used to wear this, to symbolize or perhaps better said to materialize the heavy burden that was resting on their shoulders.
Of course there was a time table in mourning too. The lead collar was changed for a lighter one as time passed.


photo courtesy Simon van Gijn museum aan huis
moderne armband 'In Memoriam I' Constanze Schreiber (2006)

There was modern jewelry too;
This silver electroformed bracelet 'In memoriam I' made by Constanze Schreiber in 2006.

and this one:


photo courtesy Simon van Gijn museum aan huis
pinkring, vermoedelijk samengesteld uit verschillende geërfde sieraden. Zo kun je van meerdere dingen die je niet mooi vindt één ding laten maken dat je wel mooi vindt (vermoed ik). Trude Verdegaal 1995 zt.

A ring designed and made by Trude Verdegaal in 1995.
This one specially appealed to me. I once met a gold smith who made special objects of all sorts of jewelry pieces together. Sometimes you inherit a piece that just isn't you.
It would be nice to make something that is you and still has something of the original piece.
I presume that this is a piece like that.


photo courtesy Simon van Gijn museum aan huis
Krans van haarwerk. Zo waren er nogal wat snoeren gemaakt van haar, zeer kunstig, maar ook wat bizar, hoewel je de mogelijkheid tegenwoordig om as in een sieraad te laten doen net zo bizar zou kunnen noemen.

And there was a lot of jewelry made out of hair. There were ropes made out of hair that were meant to be used as a watch chain, which seem to be odd, but perhaps not much more peculiar than the possibility of putting the ashes of a beloved one in a charm.


photo courtesy Simon van Gijn museum aan huis foto van overleden kind.

My blogging pal Stacey of Flotsam and Jetsam has a very interesting post about cemeteries. And she mentions this too. This is a photo of a mother with her deceased child. Tragic of course, but I think I would like to have one photo of my deceased child too. Zur Erinnerung is German for 'in remembrance'.

No, I don't have a special preoccupation with death and mourning, on the contrary. Though unfortunately it is part of life. This is the object that was in the showcase that made want to visit the exhibition:


Dit was de reden voor mijn komst; een rouwboeket gemaakt van visite kaartjes van condoleance bezoek.
Dit inspireert mij.

(click for more details)
This is a mourning bouquet. It is partly made of the calling cards of those people who came by to pay their respect. I love it! These are the things that inspire me. I want to make something like this out of ephemera. There was a wreath like this inside the museum too.

If you ever visit Dordrecht do visit this museum.
Just click on the first photo to visit the website and to see the address.
I will make another post of the museum in due time.


Na het museum bezoek, dat gratis bleek te zijn tijdens het museumweekend, toch natuurlijk nog even bij Pandora binnen en ik kocht dit geweldige boek uit de jaren '70 voor 1,50!
Biking back to my home, I popped in at Pandora's where I found this book:
Nederlands Familiealbum = Dutch Family Album.
It dates from the nostalgic wave in the 1970ties, when I caught the bug.

170 pages filled with these:

170 pagina's met dit soort foto's. Ik was helemaal gelukkig!
I paid 1,50, that even makes it better!
I think I'll post some photos from this book in due time too.
So stay tuned!
Thanks for giving so many nice compliments in the previous post, unfortunately the studio doesn't stay that way :-(.
Thanks for visiting me,

xoxo LiLi M.

Bedankt voor je bezoek en de complimenten voor LiLi's ateliertje, het blijft niet lang zo hoor dames. Een bezoek aan het museum Simon van Gijn, museum aan huis is een absolute aanrader. Waarom? Ik zal daar nog eens een post aan wijden. Ook zal ik nog eens wat foto's uit dat boek plaatsen. Mmm voor de Pip kamer zal gewoon geen tijd meer zijn. ;-)
Tot ziens, xoxo LiLi M.

36 comments:

Lori said...

LiLi, i would have wanted to see that mourning bouquet too...what a beautiful thing it is...i want to try to make one too...i think it is just lovely...the different shapes of the leaves...the pretty script writing...*sigh*...i have seen in my travels, jewelry made from hair...some of it is truly intricate and beautiful...that looks like a really great visit you had!!!

Cape Cod Rambling Rose said...

Very haunting, but I can still see the love and creativity put into those items. I never knew there was such as thing as a mourning teaset or coffee set!

I've posted some photos of Tinsel Trading, if you would like to have a preview of the excitement you'll be in for when you visit there! =)

Marianne said...

Tja dat kennen wij helemaal niet meer, die aandacht voor rouw en sterven. In ons moderne leven doen we allemaal hard ons best om te ontkennen dat de dood bestaat en deel uitmaakt van ons leven. Ik vind het ergens wel mooi al die rituelen en gebruiken rondom de rouw, ik kan me goed voorstellen dat het helpt bij het verwerken van een verlies.
En al die posts over de museums en oude huizen in Dordrecht geeft mij de (goede) kriebels om eens wat meer op zoek te gaan hier in mijn eigen historische stad, volgens mij heb ik hier ook nog niet de helft gezien.
Dus dank je (opnieuw) voor de inspiratie. Nog een fijne week!

barbara said...

All of these things are so sad, and yet somehow beautiful. (Except for the hair. I've seen those big mourning wreaths made of hair - they kind of creep me out.) That bouquet, though - that's just lovely, and what a good idea, to turn something of sadness into an object of beauty and remembrance. I'm working in my ateliertje today - you inspired me. And I hope I used the right word! :)

Blue Cottage said...

Hoi hoi,
Ik denk je bent voor 1.50€ een boottocht gaan maken ;)
Aparte tentoonstelling, maar dat haarding (sorry dat ik het misschien oneerbiedig zeg) vind ik toch wel een beetje brrrr..
Maar dat boeket is wel een mooi idee.
Enfin er ging gisteren iets mis met mijn berichtjes dus ik moet helaas bekennen je bent niet helderziend
Dus ik ben nog wel even hier en nog niet in Frankrijk.
Tot babbels en Fijne paasdagen
Gr Cobi

LW said...

What an interesting post. The mourning bouquet is very pretty. I have some old letters that just may work in that type of art project.. Thank you for sharing this idea.

I inherited a few pieces of morning jewelry. One is a lovely black bracelet set in gold. I use to wear all the time in my younger days but now it makes me sad so I just keep it in a box.

I think it is odd because today we live longer but spend less time in mourning or showing the world that we are in morning. The attitude and expectation is to get on with your life.
In the past, life was so much shorter but morning was done more openly and longer.

Forget- me-not really is a lovely phrase.

Louise

casa nostra said...

heel interressant wat je hier allemaal laat zien. dat rouwbouquet is wel iets heel speciaals, die haarsnoeren ook trouwens maar dat trekt me dan weer niet zo en wat een geluk om zo'n geweldig boek voor zo'n klein prijsje te vinden.
de pip-kamer zal je t.z.t toch wel eens laten zien hoop ik. op je 'studio' hebben we tenslotte ook erg lang moeten wachten.
wens ik je alvast fijne paasdagen!

Stacey said...

That exhibit sounds wonderful. The cult of mourning is very interesting... I also never knew about the mourning tea sets... And the funeral bouquet was so beautiful and haunting.

Stephenie said...

What a wonderful post...That exhibit sounds like a wonderful place..I love all the pictures you took..That mourning bouquet is just beautiful..I never saw anything like it before..It would be so much fun to make one...That photo album is just an amazing find...I can't wait to see more photos from it...
Stephenie

kana said...

The museum looks quite interesting! Thanks for visiting my blog and for the compliment about my daughter!

Marja Rijnsburger said...

Mooie post Lidwien. Marian schreef het ook al. We gaan in deze tijd weer zo snel door met het leven terwijl vaak het verlies nog niet verwerkt is. Aan de ene kant goed want het geeft je afleiding, aan de andere kant zou je op zo'n moment de wereld wel even stil willen zetten. Ik kan me nog zo goed herinneren dat ik een dag na de begrafenis van mijn moeder (inmiddels al weer ruim 18 jaar geleden) op de fiets zat om boodschappen te gaan doen en maar niet kon begrijpen dat alles en iedereen gewoon zijn dingen deed.Wij kijken raar wanneer we mensen in bijvoorbeeld de Islamitische landen hun verdriet tonen door middel van schreeuwen en heel hard huilen. Maar ik had dat soms ook graag willen doen, volgens mij schreeuw je het verdriet er dan uit en verwerk je beter. Het boeket van de rouwkaarten is heel bijzonder, hier in een tas in de kast liggen nog alle kaarten die we gekregen hebben na het overlijden van mijn vader. Misschien gebruik ik ze daar nog eens voor. Wanneer ik daar aan toe ben.
Lieve groetjes Marja.

Splashes of Pink and Mint said...

Jaja, jij denkt je er wel héél makkelijk van af te maken hè, met je "geen tijd voor de PIP-kamer"! (zegt zij met een priemend wijsvingertje). Ha, ik blijf gewoon net zo lang zeuren tot je bezwijkt! Maar goed, tot het zover is neem ik genoegen met je inspirerende verhalen! Hoewel ik met m'n werk veel te maken heb gehad met rouwwerk, al wat je hier hebt laten zien is toch nieuw voor mij! Tja, en dat het soms wat luguber is, dat hoort nou eenmaal bij de sfeer die om de dood heen hangt denk ik. En we zijn er misschien ook niet zo aan gewoon. Nou ja gelukkig maar! Life is beautiful! En bij deze wens ik je hele fijne dagen en stop ik maar eens met m'n schrijverij, straks is er geen plaats meer voor een ander! Dááág!!!!!

Lois said...

Hi Lili!
I find anything historically related to death and mourning really fascinating. The other day I watched a show that had a segment on mourning rings and jewelry. Very interesting!
The morning bouquet is really different. What a smart thing to do with condolence and sympathy cards. I have so many from when my dad passed away many years ago. I keep them in a box because I don't know what else to do with them. Maybe this is an idea I should use.
Thanks for sharing with us, your readers. We appreciate it.
Have a good Easter.
Lois

Sweet Old Vintage said...

Hi Lili .... Glad you stopped by .... and thanks for the best wishes

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

What an interesting exhibition.

Victoria xxx

Jeanette said...

oohh..het is zo druk in blogland en ik heb nog niet alles van je post gelezen maar ik wil je gewoon even hele fijne paasdagen wensen..
liefs,
jeanette

FrenchGardenHouse said...

ohhhh, it looks Beautiful! I love the Victorian Mourning Jewelry pieces, as well as some of the other things you have shown. How fun. I have a few of the postmortem photos, too. The children died so often in those days, that it was customary to take their sweet little photos. :(

What a great showing.
Happy Easter, Dutch friend!
xo Lidy

Elyse said...

hi lili,

thanks for taking us bloggers along on a day trip. very cool and lots of wonderful details.

xo

Betty said...

Lili, My husband and I toured an old mansion a few months ago. They had a very small collection of mourning art. There were some very intricate pieces that almost looked like lace but were made with hair. Unfortunately they wouldn't let us take pictures either and their brochure did not do the home justice at all. Thank you for sharing your tour with us!

Twa said...

Zo, jij had lekker een goedkoop dagje. Ik zie dat ik nog geen berichtje had achtergelaten (foei) terwijl ik wel je post al had gelezen. Bij deze alsnog een reactie. Wat een idee om naar zo'n rouw tentoonstelling te gaan, maar wel heel apart. Net wat Elly zegt, wij hebben in ons vak al heel wat rouwwerk gemaakt en ook bezorgd waardoor je het wel van heel dichtbij mee maakt, maar het stond evengoed ver van je af (snap je het nog een beetje?). Je boek met oude foto's vind ik geweldig leuk. Waarom kom ik zoiets nou nooit tegen? Prettige paasdagen!

Miss Marple said...

Echt, we zouden allemaal een voorbeeld aan jou moeten nemen en wat meer en beter naar de dingen moeten kijken die we direkt voor onze neus hebben. Wat jij allemaal ontdekt en wat lief dat je dat ook met ons deelt!
Ja, men gaat echt te zelden een museum in!

Ik wens je hele zonnige en fijne paasdagen! - Irma

Marina Capano said...

Hi Lili! wonderful!

Happy easter!

Betzie said...

Love your new blog decor and banner!!! So cute!!!
Interesting post...that mourning bouquet is gorgeous. Those collars? Not so sure! LOL
Happy Easter!

rochambeau said...

Hi Lili,
Your site looks so Springy, so fresh and nice!! Always does. You are a such creative person.

This Mourners Museum interests me. All of us should take the time to think about our lives in the way which includes death as part of the whole. Mourning is the hardest thing about life, I think.

Can't wait to see you studio below!!

Happy Easter friend!
xox
Constance

Country Cottage Chic said...

How fascinating Lili - thanks for showing us & telling us about it.
How odd to be married in mourning clothing.

Catharina Maria said...

Wat een prachtige paas banner heb je gemaakt !
Fijne paasdagen gewenst , Rini

Janine said...

hee lili, zo te zien heb jij je goed geaumusserd, mij zouden die dingen wellicht niet eens zijn opgevallen, die pinkrink is wel grappig hoor. ;)),in elk geval met jou rondleiding hoeven wij er niet meer heen, zo volledig. En het mooie, ik heb niet eens die 1,50 te hoeven betalen. :)))
hele fijne paasdagen en geniet van het mooie weer, liefs van jeany

Anonymous said...

Fijne Paasdagen Lili, en ik heb je museumbezoek-verhaal met veel belangstelling gelezen ! Bijzonder om zo over bepaalde gebruiken te lezen die wij nu helemaal niet meer kennen. Ben benieuwd waar het rouw-boeketje jou tot inspireerd .....

Carol said...

What an interesting post, tea sets for Mourning!
I hope you have a lovely Easter Weekend Lili.
Carol x

Fete et Fleur said...

Happy Easter dear LiLi!

What an interesting place this was to visit. Thank you for all the information on mourning traditions. I recently visited a store that had mourning jewelry made out of hair. It was a bit creepy, but the pieces were beautiful.

Hugs!
Nancy

vosgesparis said...

I zat inderdaad heel even in een andere dimensie vannacht, ik was een post begonnen ergens 10 dagen geleden. Daarna had ik het simpelweg te druk (en dat heet dan nog werken op therapeutische basis haha) om ook maar iets uit mijn hoofd en handen te krijgen op mijn blog. Tot het enorme gevaarte binnenkwam en ik al mijn energie weer op mijn huis focuste en 'terloops' wat foto's nam.
Wens je fijne paasdagen.. ik ga klussen bij de buren.. of ze ooit bij mij komen klussen laten we in het midden haha.
groetjes uit het mooie zonnige noorden.

cherished*vintage said...

Wow! What a fascinating museum. I don't think I'd be too interested in wearing that skull bracelet - eew hehe That mourning card is so cool! I would have loved to see the wreath too. Oh, and the jewelry made from hair - interesting. Maybe I should save mine, I seem to have lots that falls out each time I wash it. ha!
-Karoline

bluemuf said...

Hi Lili, I don't know how I missed this post before. What an interesting exhibit. I must say you are so creative on showing us all the interesting things even though you couldn't take pictures. I really enjoyed the jewellery and the mourning bouquet is so unique.

Thank you for taking us along on your tour.
Happy Easter
Hugs Karen

Kathy2eggs said...

That was a fantastic museum, and I never knew about all the mourning items. Now I can wow my friends..Thanks so much for the trip!

SweetScarlett said...

This is a very interesting and informative post, Lili.
I learned a lot from reading it.
My husband has several photos of a baby from his ancestors and I suspect the baby had passed away. No name is on them but we will try to find out more about them.
I love the calling card brooch!
xxx
Maggie

Edwin said...

Hi Lili,

Not knowing wether I should write my comment in English or Dutch, I choose to write in the former language.

My name is Edwin de Jong, webmaster of the Collectie Brands and while searching for possible links to other websites, I stumbled upon your blog.

First of all I would like to express my gratitude for your link to the Collectie Brands website. After building a new back-end for the website, unfortunately the old links have stopped linking directly to the right objects. I would be very much pleased if you could find the time to change the link to: Rouwservies

Jans Brands collected a great amount of different funeralia during his life, most of which have a direct connection with the province he lived the majority of his life in: the pictoresque and quiet Drenthe. To say that he is purely a funeralia collector, would be a gross understatement, as his collection ranges much further. On the website www.collectie-brands.nl you can see a small amount of objects from his extensive collection.

As you have your residence in the Netherlands, perhaps it would be of advice to give Jans Brands a visit. Currently the collection has been given over to a foundation which will preserve the valuable objects for our posterity. If you are interested, I can arrange for you to have a meeting with Brands himself, as he is not always there to give you a tour. Nevertheless, I will have to warn you about the situation in his farmhouse: although his collection is invaluable and recently attracted a great EU funding, often it appears to the casual eye as a great heap of junk (and Brands' often refers to his collection as such). Not so for those with more proficient eyes, who are amazed and want to move some of the collections into museums rather sooner than later. Categorization (hope I write that right), is currently underway and some of the results will slowly trickle into the website for a larger audience to see.

I hope I have informed you enough with this writing. Nevertheless, I do not want to hide this particular interesting object from you: A portrait assembled from human hair. Perhaps a little bit lugubre, but it used to be common practice among certain circles in Drenthe.

With regards,

Edwin de Jong